How to Get Subtitles on Netflix

Netflix offers thousands of movies and TV shows as streaming video through its Watch Instantly service. Netflix members can also turn on subtitles for some titles. This feature is great for the hearing-impaired, those who do not understand the original language of a video or to make sure you can understand the dialogue when watching a movie at low volume. However, the subtitle function is a recent addition to the Netflix Watch Instantly service. As of February 2011, only 30 per cent of the videos on Netflix have removable subtitles, though Netflix plans to have subtitles for 80 per cent of its titles by the end of 2011.

Open your Internet browser, and visit netflix.com.

Log in to your Netflix account.

Click the "Watch Instantly" tab on the Netflix home page that appears after you have logged in to your account.

Find a movie or TV show you want to watch with subtitles, and click the blue "Play" button beneath its poster image.

Wait for the Netflix video player to load. Press the "Subtitles" button. Select the language you want to display as subtitles from the menu that appears.

Tips

Subtitles can be turned off by clicking the "Subtitles" button and selecting "Off" from the menu that appears.

Warnings

Many foreign films on Netflix Watch Instantly were added before Netflix supported removable subtitles. The subtitles on these titles are "burnt in" to the image and can not be removed or changed.

Tips and Warnings

Subtitles can be turned off by clicking the "Subtitles" button and selecting "Off" from the menu that appears.

Many foreign films on Netflix Watch Instantly were added before Netflix supported removable subtitles. The subtitles on these titles are "burnt in" to the image and can not be removed or changed.